News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1887-11-24
HIS ELOQUENCE MOVED HER.
Miss Slingerland was Forced to
Pity the Tramp she Found
Under her Bed.

SCRANTON, Pa.-Miss Celida Singer
land is the oldest daughter of Farmer
Warren Slingerland of Benton town
ship She is about % years old, hand
some, healthy, strong and brave. Mr..
Slingerland's farmhouse atands on n
knoll near the main road, and Miss
Slingerland's sleeping apartment Is on
the first floor adjoining the parlor.
Last Friday the weather was mild, and
the window of her bedroom was left
open until she went there to retire. AT
about o'clock she entered the room
alone, put down the window and had
partially disrobed, when strong smell
of tobacco in the room caused her to
look under the bed. She saw dirty
tramp lying there, with his face turncl
toward her. She did not scream, bnt
said:
''You rascal you, what are you doing
here?"
The tramp hustled out without ans
wering and made for the window, and
the plucky young woman threw her
bare arms around his dirty neck and
yelled for help. He struggled to get
the window up, but Miss Slingerland
held him there until her father and two
brothers rushed through the unlocked
door and relieved her of her disagree
able charge. They thumped him
j around prettY liNalX-fn ora -Inlnllte- or
two and made INN beg for ms life, and
then Miss Slingerland begged them
not to hurt him. James, the elder son,
suggested that they should give the III
truder n sound horsewhipping and let
him go; but Mr.. Slingerland would not
agree to that, and Immediately sent the
Younger son, Eugene, over to Justice
Thompson's to get out warrant for his
arrest.
1t was II o'clock before Constable
Chase rarived with the warrant. He
took the tramp into Mr.. Singerland's S
kitchen and sat up all night with him,
the tramp getting great deal more
sleep than the constable. Early on
Saturday morning Mr.. Sllngerland
hitched his team to his big three seated
waood, and with Miss Slingerland and
himself in the front seat, the two sons
and the hired man in the middle seat,
and the constable and tramp in the rear
seat. he drove over to the Justices.
The tramp was arralgned on the
charge of being a sneak burglar, and
Miss Slingerland told the story of how
she had found him under her bed. Mr..
Slingerland and the sons made state
ments, and then Justice Thompson
asked the prisoner if he wished to say
ANYTHING. He faced the magistrate as
though he was going to plead for mer-
cy, but he did nothing of the kind.
''Your Honor" he said, 81 have given
YOU my name rs David Kenyon, but you
don't know whether that is my name or
not. / will say once for all that while
have had several names within the past
ten years, have given you my real one.
do not deny being in this gentleman's
house, but do solemnly swear that | was
not there to do any harm to this beauti-
ful young lady. In all my travels L have
never yet injured woman in the least,
and I sincerely hope 1 never shall injure
one. / was hungry when [ saw that
window open, and [ went in there ex-
pecting to find something to eat after
all the people had gone to sleep. 1t is
many wear since I felt the warm breath
of Il nice girl on my cheek, and pair OF
soft arms around my neck, and ! am
willing to go to Jail for six months il
necessary for the pleasure this young
lady gave me for only n minute or two.
This is all l have to say and he hung
his head as if prepared to be sent to Jail.
The young lady was on her feet III al
instant, and addressing the grave jus
tice she said:
"Please, Mr. Thompson, don't SEND
the poor fellow to Jail. l am satisfied
ne did not intend to injure me, and SC
long as he did no particular harm in the
house, beg you not to imprison him
am sure he is not very bad man, SC
please let him go, wont you?"
Miss Singerland's father and brothers
were provoked at her for this, but she
said she would not appear against hin
if the Justice committed him to jail, be
cause the man had been punished
enough already.
."I'm going to do just as the girl wants
me to, and if she says again that she
wants me to discharge this fellow, In
going to discharge him. said tho
Justice.
"Please do discharge him, Mr.
Thompson, Miss Slingerland said, ant
the Justice did so. Then the traml
thanked her over and over again, ant
said that her kind heart and her swee
smile would cheer him as long as h
lived